Another week

In no particular order, the highlights include:
- Zimbabwe has a new Prime Minister
- Australian has experience both massive floods and bushfires
- Bought a mobile phone for eldest son
- Decided on new nicknames for the boys

Let’s work backwards, shall we? Starting with new names for the boys… Their initials sound a little bit clinical and don’t really reflect their personalities, so based on the Chinese calendar, I have decided that on this blog they will now known as:
D. Pup, (Rat – definitely better than Kitten)
J. Cub, (Tiger) and
S. Foal (Horse)

Wish me luck remembering who is who!!!

We finally succumbed to ‘peer pressure’ from ‘Good Authority’ (GA) and bought Pup a mobile phone. That alone was a saga! Do you have the time? Oh all right then…

GA lives up the road from us – seriously 8 minutes walk… Her son and mine happen to be “Best Friends” and have been since Year 1. I have various thoughts about GA but at the end of the day she is still a friend of mine – so please don’t get me wrong when I whinge about her… She seems to think because they are both now in ‘high school’ they need to grow up. And Fast! I have to wonder about the rush though – they are both 12 years old and live in Australia…

Back to the phone…
Buying the phone is the easy bit but have you actually tried to activate it? You can activate said product either via phone (Read: Talking to a really helpful person from another country who has absolutely no idea what you are saying and then wants to argue the point with you) or via Internet. Guess which option I chose! Internet Activation – Easy!

You’d think it was the easy choice but - No! It was almost as painful and tedious as the phone call! Who knew that that the Internet choice would be so difficult! I did not consider myself to be a computer illiterate person before this experience but now I have to confess, I did have a moment of doubt!

OK - Moment of doubt has now gone!

Back to more serious stuff…

The flooding in Northern Queensland and the bushfires in Victoria are both examples of the extremes in this country. It is truly heartbreaking to read and hear of the devastation in both areas. I have no profound words to express the total despair the people involved must feel. Actually, I am not even going to try, except to say that my heart goes out to them and that they are in my thoughts. (It really does make you appreciate what you do have.)

Finally, just a message to the new PM in Zimbabwe. Good luck mate! Please do everything in your power to do the things you said you would. I look forward to reading about your progress in rebuilding the country. I don’t think it will be easy because even though you say President Mugabe “is not the obstacle” you are facing, it is fairly certain that he will do absolutely everything to hinder you. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/14/mugabe-tsvangirai-zimbabwe viewed 14/02/09)

I have no idea on how to do it but I’d suggest starting with the basic necessities – food, water and proper money. A full belly will probably endear you to the majority of the starving… And then, maybe, you will have their support… A bit idealistic, I know but this subject deserves a post all by itself. Obviously, I have more thoughts but this post is getting a bit long, so till then,

Take care,
C